Driving means for taximeters



Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES P ATBENT ()F F ICE JOHN H. GLA'IZEL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO OHMERFARE 'REGIS'IER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

DRIVING IVIEANS FOR TAXI'METERS.

Application filed June 1, 1925. Serial No. 34,127.

This invention relates to a combined indicating and registering apparatus for taximeters,and consists of an improvement on the structure shown in the patent to Popp and De Horevitz, 912,728 granted February 16, 1909.

In practice the flexible cable operated by the wheels of the vehicle frequently becomes twisted and distorted and after the distortion reaches a maximum, the cable untwists with a snap, rotating the spindle driven by the cable with considerable velocity. Heretoi'ore, the spindle has been provided with a cam or eccentric adapted to actuate operating levers for the speed controlled mechanism of the taximeter. When the cam is rapidly rotated by the untwisting of the cable, the cam or. eccentric may, and :fre quently does, cause the OPGITui-iDg levers to be moved beyond the normal path of their movement and thereby move the ratchet wheels driven thereby incorrectly and to the disadvantage of the passenger.

The cam or eccentric drive has proven to be unsatisfactory, inaccurate and unreliable to such an extent that the meters equipped with a driving cam have been prohibited in New York city.

One of the objects of this invention is to remedy such defect so that the drive for the taxim'eter will be accurate and reliable.

The invention further provides an apparatus of the character referred to which shall be comparatively simple in its construction, strong, durable, efiicient in its use, readily interchangeable with the mechanism now in use and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the taximeter having incorporated therein the improve ment which constitutes one embodiment of this invention, and

Figure 2 is a plan view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 denotes the side wall of the taximeter such as that shown in the patent above mentioned. .The lever 2 is fulcrumed as at 3 to the wall 1 and-is provided with a pawl or finger l adapted to actuate a ratchet wheel 5, the said pawl 4 being urged against the peripheryofthe ratchet by. means of a spring (3. The ratchet wheel 5 operates the discs 7 thereby recording the total number of units of distance, such asone-half miles, that the vehicle travels.

The ratchet wheel 5 is provided with .a pin 8 which engages a lug 9 on thebar 10 to move it to theright against the tensionof a spring-'11. As soon as thepin 8 rises above the lug 9 the spring 11 pulls the bar 10 to the left or forwardly thereby partially rotating thearm 12 and through a conventional pawl and ratchet mechanism, not shown, operates the discsl3 indicating the units of distance such as half miles which has been traversed by the vehicle when the flag (notshown) is in one of the tariff positions. \Vhen the. flag is inthevacant position a cam, not shown, on the shaft 14; permits the spring 16 to move the three armed lever 15 so that the pin 17 movesthe bar '10 to the right so that thelug 9 is not engaged by the pin 8. Thetot al distance discs? will then be operated while the paid distance discs 13 will not be actuated. When, however, tl'iefiag is; placed in a tariff position, the said cam on the shaft 14, rotatedby the flag, will move the lever 15 against the tension of the spring 16 into the position shown, in. which position both the total dis tance and the paid distance discs will be operated by the oscillations of the lever 2.

The lever 17 fulcrumed at 18 operates the main driving shaft 19 by means of a conventional ratchet wheel 20 and spring tensioned pawl 21, the two levers 2 and 17 being connected by a spring 22.

Adjustably mounted on the lower ends of the levels 2 and 17 are plates 23 and 24 respectively, the plates 23 and 24 being secured to the levers 2 and 17 by means of screws or other fastening means 25 extending through slots 26 provided in the plates 23 and 9A and into sockets, not shown, in the levers 2 and 17. It is obvious that this construction provides a ready means to adjust the plates 23 and 24 relative to the lovers 2 and 17 so as to adjust the throw of the pawls 4: or 21. This is especially advantageous when it is desired to change either of the ratchet wheels 5 or for another ratchet wheel of a different size.

The plates 23 and 2&- are provided with apertured lugs 27 and 28 respectively, adapted to receive pins or headed screws 29 and 30 respectively, which pins extend through slots 31 and 32 respectively, in pitmen 33 and 3 t respectively. The pitmen 33 and 34 are operatively connected with wristpins and 36 carried by the side faces of pinions 37 and 38 respectively, both of which pinions are driven by a pinion 39 on shaft 40 operat-ively connected with the flexible shaft, not

shown, which is operated by the wheels of the vehicle. The pinions 37 and 38 are mounted on spindles or shafts 4 1 and 42 respectively. T he shafts 4L0, ll and 42 are journaled in a support 48 detachably secured to the side wall 1 of the taximeter so that it can be readily attached to replace the objectionable cam or eccentric driving means for the levers.

It will be noted that the pin and slot connection affords a certain amount of lost play between the pitman and the lever operated thereby. From a construction standpoint this is necessary in view of the fact that the pinions are small and the wrist pins cannot be placed suliiciently close to the axis of the spindles -l1 or -12 so as to provide the correct amount of movement for the said levers unless a lost motion connection is used between the pitman and its lever;

Furthermore, the los-t motion is advantageous inasmuch as the pitmen operate the levers only for a short period of time and the pawls carried by the levers l1l'1GI'Gf0LG normally engage the ratchets and hold them against accidental rotation.

The pitmen may be readily removed when they have become worn or when it is desired operatel'l. Vv'ithout further ilescription, it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will be understood that changes in the form, proportion and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a. taximeter, a lever, an :uljustablc plate carried by said lever, a rotating means, a pin carried therel'rv, a slotted pitman operated by said pin, and means carried by said adjustable plate and extending through the slotted pitman.

2. In a taximeter, a lever, an adjustable plate carried by said lever, a pitman provided with a slot. therein, a pin carried by said adjustable plate and extending into said slot, and means whereby said pitman is operated.

3. In a. taxinieter, a shaft operated by a moving part of the vehicle, a pinion carried thereon, a pinion, meshing with said first mentioned pinion. a wrist. pin arried by the second mentioned pinion, a pitman having a slot therein op ratively connected with said wrist pin, a lever, an adjustable plate carried by the lower end ol said lever, and a pin carried b said adjustable plate and extending into said slot in the pitman.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

JOHN H. GTIALTZEIJ.

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